Sports
NFF May Ban Lobi Stars, El- Kanemi Warriors, Others
Newly promoted Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side, and reigning President Federation Cup champion, El-Kanemi Warriors FC, Lobi Stars and some clubs in the NPFL are on the verge of being banned from all football activities, if they fail to pay judgment sum to their former players whose contracts were unilaterally terminated.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through its Players status and Arbitration committee, on 24th May, 2024, ordered El-Kanemi to settle the debt, 30 days from the date of the decision, with a grace period of 15 days totaling 45days.
Through their legal representative, FIFA Licensed Football Agent, Mr. Eddie Iseri Ogbemudia, the players Bala Yusuf Mohammed, Adoyi Emmanuel and Suleiman Sadiq Abubakar had written to the Nigeria Football Federation, explaining in details how El Kanemi Warriors had treated them unjustly by unlawfully breaching the contract binding them.
The NFF after reviewing documents submitted by the claimants, and response from the respondents Elkanemi Warriors, found out that El Kanemi Warriors,were guilty of unilaterally terminating the contract of the players without just cause, and ordered the Maiduguri based club to settle the overdue payables.
Although the NFF ruled that the team should pay 50 percent of the salaries owed, this reduced amount the club has failed to pay till date.
Going by the NFF Players Status and Arbitration Committee’s decision, El-Kanemi Warriors, Lobi Stars and others will not be cleared to participate in any football activities within and outside Nigeria if they fail to adhere to the verdict of the NFF on or before July 8th 2024.
The legal representative of the players Mr. Eddie Iseri Ogbemudia said, “It’s a new dawn for Nigeria football, the current composition of NFF Players Status and Arbitration Committee are men that desire to write their names in gold in the history book of Nigeria Football. The few opportunities I have had before the committee you will know they are ready to wield the big stick no matter who is involved.” It’s unfortunate that one of our Continental representatives in CAF Confederation Cup is among those who will suffer this. I believe they still have a few days to do the needful or suffer the consequences.
Time is ticking and Elkanami Warriors FC, Lobi Stars FC and other clubs will soon know their fate.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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